Parental
by Satashi
Summary: Nagisa and Honoka take Hikari shopping and the younger girl reflects on what its like to have parents, or at least having her two older friends be her substitute parents.


"Eh? An archery club?" I couldn't really believe what I was hearing. Of all the new clubs that were springing up around school I never expected archery to be one of them. Honoka started talking about when archery first started becoming popular but at the moment I was too shocked to really listen to her. Hikari had just told us that she wanted to join the club and even got permission from Akane to do so. I brought my hand to my chin and thought about it for a moment more. I guess it was about time for her to start interacting more in school activities. I noticed that it got quiet all of a sudden and looked up, seeing Honoka waving her hand in front of my face. "Ah…. What?"

**Parental**

**By:**

**Satashi **

"Mou, Nagisa, I was talking!" Honoka pouted at her. "You're normally interested in these kind of things."

"Ah, sorry Honoka," Nagisa bowed lightly. "My mind just wondered on me. What was that again?"

The bluish-purple haired girl sighed. "We need to go shopping with Hikari to get her some equipment. Are you free this Sunday?"

"Sure!" Nagisa instantly grinned and put her arms around her friends. "Let's all go together!"

"Um…."

"What is it, Hikari?"

"I promised Nao and Miu that I would go with them this Sunday to watch a movie… I didn't think I'd have to buy supplies for the club…" Hikari looked down lightly.

"Ah, don't mind, don't mind." Nagisa waved it off. "Let's all go together and while you're in the movies Honoka and I can shop around for ourselves." She put a hand on the blond girl's head. "You'll need help carrying all that stuff."

"I suppose we need to get a list, too." Honoka added in, thinking aloud. "Of everything we should buy. Hikari-san, Nagisa, you two go ahead to Akane's Takoyaki stand and I'll ask the teacher in charge of the club what we need.

"Ah, I can do it!" Hikari took a step forward, but Nagisa pulled her back playfully and put her arm around the smaller girl. "Nagisa?"

"You heard her," She grinned. "You need to get to work. And I'm starving too!"

"Mou, you just want food," Honoka put her hand on her hip.

"I'm just making sure Hikari gets there on time is all!" Nagisa laughed out as she pulled Hikari along with her. "I'll treat you when you get back!"

"I'll hold you to that!" Honoka called out to them as they departed. "That Nagisa…" Still she brought a hand to her mouth and giggled to herself.

"What made you decide on archery all of a sudden?" Nagisa asked as she led the girl down the street.

"Well… Nao is really into basketball and Miu is going to join the science club soon… Everyone is trying their best and I guess I just want to as well… I'm not really good at sports or anything so I thought maybe something like that I would be able to do."

"Oh, I see! Well good luck with it!" The sandy blond stopped walking and pulled Hikari back as a truck went by them at the intersection. "The light's red, Hikari."

"Ah! I'm sorry!"

"Don't worry." Nagisa thought a moment while looking down at her.

"Wh…what is it?"

"Well you're going to be at school a lot later now, so be careful on your way home since it'll be dark. Don't dally around and put something warm in your bag so you won't get cold at night okay?"

"Mou, Nagisa, you sound like Honoka." Hikari laughed up at her.

"D-Do I?" Nagisa scratched the back of her head and guided Hikari with a hand on her back when the light changed. "I don't know to say thank you or get upset that you don't think I'd say it normally…"

The pair arrived at their Takoyaki stand a few moments later and were greeted by several people hanging around outside it. "Ah, it looks really busy!" Hikari ran the rest of the way to the portable stand and grabbed an apron. "Akane, sorry I'm late!"

"Hikariiiii!" Akane held out a large tray. "Table two, please!"

"Right away!" the girl took it and hurried off as others tried to get her attention for orders. "Ah, sorry! I'll be right there! Yes sir, just one moment!"

Nagisa hopped up in the bus and picked up a spare apron. "Akane, what should I do?"

"If you could get the handy and take orders for me I'd really appreciate it!"

"On it!" Nagisa picked up the gold device and hurried outside. "Welcome, can I have your order please?"

Honoka arrived almost a half-hour later, looking around at all the people. "My, busy tonight."

"We added a lot of winter items to the menu," Hikari told her as she walked past and picked up a tray to bring out. "It seems we've gotten popular."

"I see," Honoka stepped into the bus and smiled at Akane. "Would you like some help?"

"If you don't mind," Akane smiled at her. "Ah, you girls saved me!"

"Don't mention it." Honoka calmly put on an apron and helped the girl prepare the food. "All the free food you give us more than makes up for these times."

An hour passed by slowly, then another. When the stand finally quieted down Nagisa fell into a chair and laid her head down on the table. "Hikariiiii, I don't know how you do this every day."

"It's not bad once you're used to it," She replied happily, waving to the last customer to leave with his order.

"Here you go," Honoka said softly as she sat down by the girl closely. "One hot chocolate to warm you right up."

"Ah, thank you." Nagisa took the drink and scooted up by her friend. "Ah, wait a moment I was supposed to treat you!"

"Tomorrow," Honoka put her finger on Nagisa's nose. "Let's each lunch together."

"Okay!" Nagisa smiled and took a long sip from the mug. "Ah, Akane, this is the best!"

"It's my family's recipe!" She called out from the stand. "On the house, enjoy!"

Hikari watched her two friends share the drink while talking to each other. Every now and then she would see them go out of their way to brush up against each other and touch their hands when swapping the mug between the two. "Those two have been like that for a while now," Akane said, getting Hikari's attention. "It started off slow but now they're all lovey-dovey with each other all the time now. Ahhh, to be young again."

"Oh?" Hikari looked at the two once more, seeing Honoka kiss away some whip cream from Nagisa's face. "I never really thought about it since they were always like that when we met. How were they before?"

Akane laughed to herself. "Those two, total opposites! I still don't know how they managed to become friends. Nagisa brought her by the first time and they tried talking for almost half an hour, neither one finding anything in common to speak about. Honoka was trying to say something about her latest science interest while Nagisa was on and on about lacrosse."

"Oh…" Hikari watched the pair again as they cuddled together to get warm while laughing about something or another.

"Yeah. It went by like that for a while, and then the two had a really big falling out. I'm not sure what it was about, but it really got to Nagisa for some reason. When they made up they were on a first name basis, and from then on they had several small arguments but always seemed to make up and get closer. I think they started having real feelings for each other a little bit before you came along, Hikari."

"But Nagisa has a crush on Fujimura-sempai!"

"Oh that?" Akane waved it off. "She's just in denial about liking girls. Honestly, for being so open, that one sure does act complicated. One moment she's all over Honoka, the next she's acting shy around some boy. Drives Honoka insane."

"I see…" Hikari smiled to herself. "Someone you like, huh?"

"Ah, what was it you wanted to tell me earlier before we were so busy?"

"Oh!" Hikari blushed and turned to her. "Well, you see…"

Nagisa picked up her backpack and placed it on the table before unzipping it. "Thanks for letting me borrow your notebook," She started as she looked through the bag. "I promise I won't sleep through class again."

"You better not," Honoka teased her. "I won't always be so lineate with you." She saw a small red envelop fall from the bag and picked it up. "What's this?" She flipped it over and giggled to herself. "A love letter?"

"Ah! Give me that!" Nagisa grabbed the envelope and blushed darkly.

"Who's it from?" Honoka leaned over to look. "Nao? Why does that name sound familiar?"

"It's Hikari's friend," Nagisa stammered out embarrassed. "It was in my shoe locker this afternoon."

"Aren't you going to read it?"

"I don't really want to," Nagisa sighed. "If I open it then I have to write her a reply… Ah, Honoka!" She made a move to get the letter back, but Honoka already opened it. "Honokaaaa…"

"Dear Nagisa-sempai," She read aloud as her friend let her head fall on the table. "I have always looked up to you for a long, long time." Honoka paused a moment. "How cute, she used the wrong kanji for the word 'long'." She got a small giggle from her friend so she continued to read, now with a hand on Nagisa's head, gently massaging her neck. "I want to be just like you when I grow up, and am going to join the basketball team and give it my best just like you would! I'll come cheer for you at your lacrosse games, so please come to one of my games as well? With lots of love, Nao."

"I don't know why she wants to be like me," Nagisa sighed out as her neck was rubbed. "You're much better at stuff."

"Actually I got a letter from Miu," Honoka told her, getting a surprised look. "It said the same thing just about. Aren't they so cute?"

"Honoka's gotten a letter from a girl; I think I'm rubbing off on her."

"Mou," Honoka put her fingertip on the middle of the back of Nagisa's neck and pressed down before running it down to her spine. The girl had a full body shiver and sat up, blushing hard.

"Don't do that…"

"Don't do what?" Honoka replied in a whisper, leaning close to the girl so their faces were close. "You're blushing."

"H-Honoka…" Nagisa smiled at her shyly.

"Ah, now-now you two, don't get hot and heavy at my stand, you'll drive away my customers!"

The girls instantly scooted away from each other. "Akane, we're not getting hot and heavy!"

"Right, right!" She waved her hand un-interestedly. "Anyway, you're going shopping this Sunday with Hikari and her friends?"

"Yeah," Honoka nodded. "Should we pick her up at your place?"

"I can meet you at the station!" Hikari took a step forward. "You don't have to go out of your way."

"Don't worry, don't worry." Nagisa stood up and grabbed her backpack. "We'll come pick you up so you won't be alone." The two girls walked over to the light blond and Nagisa once again put her hand on her head. "See you tomorrow, Hikari."

"Okay!" She reached up and plucked the hand from her head and grinned.

"Bye bye, Hikari-san." Honoka bowed lightly to her before also saying her goodbye to Akane.

* * *

"Honoka, I'm here!" Nagisa called out as she walked through the door leading into Honoka's yard.

"Ah, you're here early," Honoka greeted her, looking out of her bedroom door. "Just a moment, I need to finish getting dressed."

"Sure thing," Nagisa nodded and leaned against the sliding door, looking out in the yard as Chutaro ran around chasing a moth. "Dad drove me here, he's going to take us to Hikari's house and then to the train station."

"Oh?" asked from inside the room. "That's nice of him."

"He was worried about us being cold since its morning." Nagisa held back a laugh. "I don't get cold!"

"Yeah, you get sick." Honoka teased as she slid open her door and smiled at her friend. "I'm ready!"

"You look cute today." Nagisa looked at her friend. She was actually wearing blue jeans and a fluffy turtle neck black sweater with a blue dove on it. To top it off her usually flowing hair was swept back in a ponytail. "Honoka in pants, I'm impressed."

"Hey, I have plenty of pants!" Honoka pouted at her and walked past. Nagisa tried to resist the urge but fell prey to it and slapped her friend lightly on the butt. "Kya! Nagisa!"

"Sorry, sorry!" Nagisa laughed out as her friend blushed. "I couldn't resist! They're so tight!"

"Jeez, I have to keep you on a leash." Honoka pulled her purse over her shoulder and offered her hand to her friend, despite the teasing just received. "Grandmother, we're heading off now!"

"Have a good time dears." The old lady waved at them as they left the house.

"Thank you for the ride, Misumi-san," Honoka greeted as she got in the van.

"Anytime Yukishiro-chan!" He replied happily before driving off to pick up their final friend. "Oh, you're not wearing a dress today?" Nagisa laughed to herself at Honoka's embarrassed expression. "A shame, you always have the prettiest dresses. Unlike Nagisa here."

"What's that supposed to mean!?" Nagisa leaned over to glare at her dad while Honoka got a good laugh at her this time. The van rolled to a stop outside Akane and Hikari's house and Honoka hopped out to retrieve the girl while Nagisa argued with her father playfully.

Honoka knocked on the door and waved at Hikari when it opened up. "Good morning, Hikari," She got a happy greeting back but the older girl paused a moment when she noticed her friend's choice of clothing. "It's getting cold lately, don't you think you should wear something more covering?"

Hikari blinked a moment and looked down at her frilly pink shirt that showed her shoulders. "Eh? I didn't really think about it…"

"Good morning, Honoka!" Akane greeted as she looked out the door. "I hate to ask a favor so early in the morning, but do you think Hikari could stay with you tonight or tomorrow night?"

"Eh?" Honoka blinked. "I don't mind, but why so suddenly?"

"My high school re-union location got changed so more people could make it, but now I have to drive a bit off and stay for two days. I don't want Hikari to be by herself, so if it's not too much trouble…please?"

"But this Monday is…"

"Don't worry Akane-san; I'm sure I'll be okay if I stay at the house by myself, hehehe." Hikari laughed nervously and lightly pushed Honoka along her way to the van. "Bye bye Akane-san, have fun on your trip!"

"Hikari, but Monday is the day the new clubs are created and they have the parent-teacher meetings about them…"

"It's an important time for her," Hikari whispered back as they walked to the van. "She's been looking forward to it for almost a month now."

"Aw…" Honoka looked over her shoulder at the waving lady in the house. "Mou, you didn't even tell her did you?" Hikari stuck her tongue out in response when they boarded the van.

* * *

"You need me to pick you up when you're done shopping?" Takashi asked her daughter as the girls got out of the van.

"We'll be all right, enjoy your day off." Nagisa walked over to the driver's side and thanked her father for the ride.

"Okay then," He reached out and put his hand on Nagisa's head. "Be good, hear me?"

"Daaad, I'm not a little kid anymore." She reached up and took his hand off her head and smiled. "See you tonight."

"Bye then." He looked over at the other two girls. "Bye girls!"

"Bye Misumi-san!" Hikari waved at him while Honoka bowed lightly. When he drove off, Hikari turned and trotted up the stairs to the train station and looked around for her friends.

"Hikariiiiiii!" Nao called out as the two girls ran up to her. "You're early!"

"So are you two!" Hikari hugged both her friends as they started chatting excitedly about their plans for the day.

"And we're going to party like its new years day!" Nao cried out finally, hopping.

"You mean new year's night," Miu corrected her, grinning. "Partying on new years has been a tradition since…" Hikari lightly laughed to herself as her friends imitated Nagisa and Honoka, ending with them both holding hands and crying out "Just like that! Just like that!"

"It's… almost like looking in a mirror," Nagisa said uneasily, looking at the girls.

"Y-yeah…" Honoka smiled weakly as the two young girls froze at seeing their role models.

"Nagisa-san and Honoka-san are going to help me shop later on today," Hikari explained to her nervous friends. "I hope you don't mind?"

"N-not at all!" They chorused out together, bowing deeply to the older girls. "I-It's our pleasure!" their voiced were synced again.

Nagisa didn't really know what to say to them so Honoka came to her rescue. "Let's have lots of fun today, okay?"

"Right!" They once again said the same word together, making Hikari laugh.

"Do we… do that too?" Honoka asked her friend while the train pulled up and got everyone's attention.

"I don't think so… you just… kind of say what I'm thinking a lot of the time before I have the chance."

"Sorry about that," Honoka giggled and took her hand, pulling the girl onto the train before the doors closed.

"Look, look, they're holding hands!" Nao whispered to Miu enviously. "The rumors are true, they are a couple!"

"Kyaaa, I'm so jealous!" Miu whispered back.

"A couple, huh?" Nagisa looked out the window, watching the scenery go by. "I guess everyone thinks that if even the freshmen are saying it."

"You mind?" Honoka asked lightly, interlacing their fingers.

"Not really," The sandy blond smiled at Honoka's reflection in the glass. "Not at all, actually."

"Me either," She took a small step closer to her and took Nagisa's arm with her other hand.

Hikari just smiled at them while her friends squealed out in delight at seeing 'such a romantic moment' between their heroes. The moment was shattered, however, when the girl let out a small sneeze.

"Hikari, you need to cover up more." Nagisa released Honoka's hand and slid her hot pink jean jacket off, leaving her in just a black tight fitting long sleeve with the word 'lacrosse' written on it in English. "Here, put this on." She flipped it around the girl and encouraged her to slide her arms through the sleeves.

"But won't you get cold?" Hikari asked embarrassedly, even though she was thankful to the new warmth she had.

"I don't get cold," Nagisa repeated her phrase and winked. "I don't want you to get sick, so wear it okay?"

"O-okay." Hikari buttoned it up and posed to her two younger friends. "How is it?"

"Aw, you look like a rock star!"

"Rock star…?" Nagisa sighed out and hung her head. "Do any of my cloths look feminine?" Honoka brought her hand to her lips to cover a giggle.

* * *

"What movie are you going to watch?" Honoka asked the three girls. The mall had its own movie theater inside it, which they were all currently standing.

"The new nightmare on Elm Street!" Nao said instantly, making Honoka frown.

"That movie is too graphic for you girls, you need to watch another one."

"But…" Nao looked at Nagisa for support.

"Um…" the sandy blond scratched her cheek.

"It'll give you nightmares," Honoka went on. "The violence is really scary too."

"But it's a fun kind of scary!" Miu protested.

"Come on, Honoka-san!" Hikari joined in, hopping in place. "We want to see it!" She looked over at Nagisa as well.

Taking a breath, Nagisa stepped forward. "Listen to Honoka, Hikari, she knows what's best." She put her hand on her hips. "No means no, so don't argue."

"Yes mam..." the three girls looked a little dejected.

"You'll be glad you didn't watch it." Honoka looked at her watch. "You run along now and pick another movie before they start. We'll meet up in five hours so don't forget to come back here okay?"

"Okay!" the three girls ran away from them and inside the theater.

"Nice job, Nagisa," Honoka congratulated her with a smile. "I'm proud of you!"

"I wanted to see it too…" she sighed and hung her head, receiving a small pat from her partner.

* * *

"What are we going to watch?" Hikari asked as they stood in line for tickets.

"Nightmare on Elm Street!" Nao replied instantly with a grin.

"But Honoka said…" Miu looked over at Hikari, then Nao. "Oh! I get it!"

"Won't we get in trouble?" Hikari looked at them timidly. "If we do something they said not to?"

"Don't worry, they won't find out." Miu encouraged her.

"My parents told me not to watch it too, but if you do everything they tell you, you'll never have any fun!"

"Parents, huh…?"

"Oh!" Nao covered her mouth. "I'm sorry… I forgot…"

Hikari shook her head. "Don't worry about it." She put on a big smile for her friends. '_Parents… I wonder what its like to have parents…_?'

"Parents are a wonderful thing," A calm soothing voice told her.

'_You again!_' Hikari thought to the voice, shocked. '_Tell me! What are parent's like!?_'

"Parents are people who always look out for you," The voice told her sweetly. "They'll always protect you, encourage you when you're down, and scold you when you do something wrong so you'll learn from it. But don't be discouraged. You have people just like that all around you."

'_I do?'_ Hikari closed her eyes and thought.

"You do," the voice made her feel calm again. "You just have to look for it."

"Hikari!" Miu's voice made the girl come back to reality. "Come on, you're holding the line."

"Ah! Sorry!"

* * *

"Think Hikari's having fun with her friends?" Nagisa mused as she sipped her drink casually through a swirly straw. She was sharing a rather large girly looking drink with her friend known as 'lover's delight' in the food court.

"Probably. I bet they watched that new romantic comedy that just came out."

"You mean 'Random stereo-type generic chick-flick title'?" Nagisa rolled her eyes uninterestedly.

Honoka laughed at that. "Nagisa, you're such a tomboy."

"Wha!? Am not!"

* * *

Hikari screamed bloody murder as the villain of the movie leapt from the water and grabbed a hold of one of the teenagers. "Hereeeeeeee's Freddy!" He cried out before pulling back his claws and slashing. The three girls all grabbed a hold of each other tightly and screamed out again, much to the displeasure of the rest of the movie watchers.

* * *

"What do you think?" Honoka asked, opening the door of the changing room and appearing in a tight leather miniskirt and a shirt that showed off her stomach and shoulders. "Nagisa?"

"Ja-jaan!" the door beside her opened and Nagisa emerged in a frilly pink dress that went almost to her knees. "What do you think Honoka? Tomboy this!"

The two girls looked at each other a moment before breaking out into a helpless fit of laughter.

* * *

Hikari hugged her friends tightly while they watched the movie. Although they were breathing a little fast and scared clean out of their minds, their eyes refused to leave the screen. A flash of lightning lit the screen and a clawed hand shot from under a bed and grabbed a girl, tripping her and starting to drag her under it. The three once again cried out in terror and gripped each other so hard it almost hurt.

* * *

"Want a bite, Honoka?" Nagisa asked around a mouthful of a cookie, turning to face her on the mall bench with a little bit of the treat hanging from her mouth. "Take some, I'm full."

"Eh!?" She blushed darkly as Nagisa wiggled the cookie from her lips. "Na….gisa…?" A moment went by before she slowly leaned over and placed her lips around the cookie, brushing against the other girl's in the process. She bit and found the little bit of left over between their lips start to fall. Instinctively she tried to catch it with her mouth, giving Nagisa a hard kiss with a slight flash of tongue across her lips. She pulled back quickly and tried to stammer out an apology, but Nagisa only smiled at her and put an arm around the girl.

"If you wanted to kiss me, you could just ask," Nagisa teased her, licking a crumb off Honoka's cheek.

* * *

The three girls weakly made their way out of the movie theater, looking like they had all just seen the seven levels of hell and barely came back to tell the tale of it. "Never again…" Miu managed out, rubbing her eyes. "I'm never listening to you ever again…"

* * *

Nagisa sighed as she held several bags of Honoka's as the other girl excitedly shopped around the dress store. Despite her earlier declaration of not being a tomboy, she had yet to find a single thing in the current shop that even remotely interested her. Honoka on the other hand was fawning over bracelets and little trinkets that go on them. After making several trips around the store and coming back to one particular silver bracelet, they decided to leave the store.

This time around it was Honoka's turn to watch her friend run around a store and exclaim over things. They were in a sporting store that had a rather large section of Lacrosse gear and Nagisa was going nuts over it, explaining everything to her friend as she picked it up. Honoka went along with it, despite having secretly gotten a book about the basics of lacrosse so she would know more about what her friend liked.

"Can I assist you with anything ladies?" A clerk asked them politely.

"Actually yes," Nagisa put down the lacrosse racquet and smiled at him. "My friend is joining an archery club at school; do you have anything for beginners?"

"Anything in specific?"

"Well," Honoka reached in her purse and pulled out a slip of paper. "Our friend will come back with us later to pick out a bow, but I need some standard stuff to get out of the way…"

* * *

"Heeeeey! Hikari!" Nagisa waved at her friend. "How was your day?"

"Really fun," She replied happily.

"Nagisa-sempai, look!" Nao held up a sheet of paper, which the older girl took. "We played laser tag and I came in first place!"

"Way to go!" She grinned.

"We got most of your stuff already, Hikari-san," Honoka offered the girl a bag. "We need to go back and get you a bow and wrist brace, but other than that, you're set to go."

"Oh, you didn't have to-"

"We wanted to," Nagisa replied easily. "So you can have more fun with your friends."

"….Thank you!"

"You guys go ahead to the sports store; I just remembered Ryouta wanted something here too!" Nagisa waved at them and ran off before anyone could reply.

* * *

"Oh man, we're totally late!" Nagisa whined as she looked at her wristwatch. "Mom's going to yell at me…"

"You didn't have to treat us to dinner," Honoka took her hand, watching the buildings rush by them through the train window.

"We've never had a nice meal together before, just the three of us. I wanted to."

"But aren't you low on money?" Hikari asked lightly, looking up at her.

"Don't' worry about it; I got lots of tips from working the other day.

"You can stay at my house if you'd like, Nagisa." Honoka smiled at her. "Hikari is staying too, it'll be fun!"

"All right! Slumber party!"

"But don't forget the math test tomorrow. We're going to have to study."

The sandy blonde's face fell. "Yes mam…"

* * *

Honoka rubbed her eyes lightly, trying to focus on the pages below her. "What's wrong?" Nagisa asked lightly, looking over at her. "You've been rubbing your eyes a lot lately."

"Its nothing," The girl pushed up from the floor and walked over to her desk to open a drawer. Taking out a small black case, she clicked it open and picked up her glasses. She put them on and looked over at Nagisa, who was looking at her interestedly. "…What is it?"

"I don't see you often with your glasses on."

"Oh?" She walked over to stand beside the laying girl and looked out the crack in the door to check up on Porun and the rest playing outside. "I don't like wearing them."

"Why's that?" Nagisa put her hands under her chin and tried to balance her pencil on her nose.

"Just because," Honoka looked down at her friend lying on her stomach and placed her foot on the small of her back and gently applied pressure as she moved it. The move worked like she thought it would and Nagisa laid her head down on her arms, purring out in appreciation. "Like that?"

"Mmm…" The girl closed her eyes and sighed contently. "You know just where to rub…"

"Think so?" Honoka kneeled down and gently started to massage the girl's back.

"You're going to spoil me," She spoke lazily, smiling. "And you'll regret it when I ask for this after lacrosse practice."

"I'll rub your back anytime you want," Honoka giggled. "All you got to do is ask." Nagisa rolled over suddenly and reached up to catch her hands. "What is it?"

The blond girl smiled and reached under the bed to pull out a small bag. She used one hand to get something out of it while using her other to hold onto Honoka's hands. "Here, I got this for you," She pulled out the silver bracelet that Honoka had been looking at earlier, complete with a little heart trinket attached to it.

"Awwww, I wanted this so much! Thank you!" The girl fell forward and hugged her friend happily. "I'll always wear it!"

"Hehe, I'm glad you like it." Nagisa hugged her back and smiled when they looked at each other. After a moment, the girl moved her hand up behind Honoka's neck and leaned up to kiss her.

"Not interrupting am I?" Hikari asked, peeking in the door.

"Nuh uh!" Honoka quickly pulled away. "Not at all!"

"Yes you are," Nagisa pouted out. "I was so close, too…" Hikari laughed at her when Honoka leaned forward and pecked Nagisa's cheek to calm her down.

After another hour of studying Nagisa yawned out rather loudly. "Okay, that's it. No more." She closed her book to show her determination on quitting and stretched out. "I just want some sleep."

"I can go along with that," Honoka closed her book as well and started putting them all in her backpack. "Hikari-san is already ahead of us." She looked over at the younger girl who was sleeping on the floor along with Porun, Mepple, and Mipple.

"She had an exciting day, apparently." Nagisa smiled to herself, kneeling beside her and picking up her friends to set them in their own little pet bed Honoka had bought for them. Walking back over to her, she picked up the girl as Honoka changed into her nightclothes. "Here you are," She whispered, laying her on a futon and covering her up.

"Eh?" She opened her eyes sleepily. "Nagisa-san?"

"Go back to sleep," Nagisa whispered to her lightly. "We'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay…" Hikari looked like she didn't really understand what she was told but closed her eyes anyway.

After changing into a baggy shirt, Nagisa clicked off the lights and joined Honoka in bed. "G'night Honoka."

"Sweet dreams. Thanks again for the bracelet."

"Sure thing." She reached out and took her hand under the covers.

* * *

Hikari woke up quickly as a loud crash of thunder roared out. It was immediately followed by a flash of lightning, illuminating the room for a brief moment. Suddenly scared, the girl remembered the part of the movie she watched where the girl was grabbed and drug under the bed. '_Calm down, it was just a movie… just a movie_…' Another crack of thunder invaded her ears and lighting flashed, making a shadow from a tree outside appear on the door to Honoka's room. It was enough to make the girl cry out and scamper out of her futon and over to the bed. "Nagisa. Nagisa!"

"Wha, huh!?" Nagisa sat up, trying to get her bearings. "Hikari, what is it!? Is something wrong?" Honoka sat up next to her slowly, having had her cuddle toy taken from her.

"I'm scared!" She cried, hugging the sandy blond and burying her face into her chest.

"It's just a rain storm…" Nagisa awkwardly hugged the girl back. "There's nothing to be scared of. Tell her Honoka."

"She's right; it's just the humidity condensation and saturating the clouds. Lightning is just electricity from the ions and protons attracting each other and…"

"Thank you Honoka, I'm going to have science nightmares now…"

"S…Sorry…"

"But that's, that." Nagisa told the shivering girl. "Rain can't hurt you."

"I'm scared Freddy will get me!"

"Fre….You watched that movie didn't you!?" Nagisa's voice was clearly upset. "After we told you not to!"

"I'm sorry!" Hikari cried out, hugging her tighter.

"Mou, I should make you sleep on the floor with your feet under the bed just so you'll learn your lesson."

"No, don't!"

"Nagisa!"

The girl turned to look at Honoka and stuck out her tongue. "Like I'd actually do that." Turning back to her younger friend, Nagisa put her hand on her head. "Don't worry, Hikari. We won't let anything hurt you."

"…Promise?" She pulled back a little and looked up at her, sniffing.

"Promise," Honoka confirmed, reaching out her hand. "Come on, get in bed."

Hikari nodded lightly, letting go of Nagisa and crawling over to Honoka. Sliding under the covers, she got a hug from the girl and felt Nagisa wrap an arm over her waist and rest her hand on Honoka's hip. "We're here, so just relax and get some sleep." Nagisa yawned out and slid her other hand under the pillow, where she brushed up against Honoka's. Looking at the girl, she smiled and loosely gripped her thumb.

"Okay… good night."

"Sweet dreams," the older girls said at the same time.

* * *

"And that's my parents," A girl finished up, bowing lightly. Her and her two parents smiled at the small group of people in front of them and walked with their daughter. The group of people clapped politely and the teacher walked to the front of the crowd again.

They were on the track field, a little off to the side where a new range of bow targets had been set up. Several arrows were lined against the wall where the students would stand and aim for their target. Currently they were introducing each student and their parents to the rest of the after-school class so the teacher could meet everyone. "Well, that only leaves… Hikari-san."

Hikari stood up and walked to the front of the crowd alone. When she got there she turned around and bowed lightly. "I don't have parents, so to say," She began, trying to choose her words. "I never really gave it much thought until recently. Although I don't have a mother or a father, I have people close to me that fill those roles. They protect me," An image of Cure White and Cure Black standing in front of her came to mind. "Look after my well being," Hikari thought of Nagisa putting a jacket around her and Honoka telling her not to watch the movie she wanted to. "…And scold me when I do something I shouldn't." Her mind reflected to the previous night where Nagisa got angry at her. "I know they aren't much older than myself, but without them I would really be lost and alone… They may not be my real parents but I love them just the same," Hikari remembered Nagisa's father placing his hand on her head, then Nagisa doing the same to her.

Looking by the group, she saw her two older friends walking over to her, Aprently having their clubs just finish and coming to check up on her. "So here they are," She waved over to them. "Nagisa-san! Honoka-san! Come here please!" The two girls blinked and looked at each other before walking over to the blond. "Everyone, this is Yukishiro Honoka-san, my 'mother', and Misumi Nagisa-san, my 'father'."

"Hey, why am I the father?" Nagisa whispered, shocked.

"Nice to meet you," Honoka bowed lightly.

"Eh, um, likewise," Nagisa bowed awkwardly.

The group clapped for her, a little louder than for the rest of the group. Hikari lead them back to her spot, where they sat down next to her. "My little family," Hikari spoke softly so only they could hear. "A mother," She looked at Honoka and got a hug. "And a 'father'." She looked over at Nagisa, who put her hand on her head, ruffling her hair slightly.

Nagisa moved her eyes to Honoka, who met them. The two shared a small moment, being proud of their newfound 'daughter' and both put their arms around her.


End file.
